Monroe's writing is amazing. Dreamlike and poetic. All of the stories are connected, twisting together with subtle brilliance. The mood of the landscape and people she writes about is somewhat somber, but her characters all seem to have a remaining hope to them. What they have in common is that they all hope for a better way of life, a better man, etc.

Her characters and depictions of small town life are dead on accurate (I grew up in Iowa, very close to the Wisconsin border). I read the book in one night. Couldn't put it down. If you get a chance, READ THIS BOOK! You won't be dissapointed.

Ms. Monroe brings so much depth to both her characters and setting, that it is nothing short of amazing. Once these tales bring you into their world, they will always remain with you. Whether it's a waitress or a little girl looking for a better life, one can easily relate to them, thanks to the superb writing.

The story of Maidie Bonasso's life resembles a kaleidescope - the imagery is hard-edged yet dazzling, and while the pictures change smoothly, the narrative never settles into one pattern. Maidie's life is a collection of memories saved from her constant moves, which leave behind estranged parents, remote sisters and two ex-husbands. Currently working in Tuscon as the curator of the Museum of Domestic History and Home Economy (which functions better as metaphor than as museum), Maidie begins to catalog her life : abandonment--by mother ; neglect--by first husband ; verbal abuse--by second husband ; happiness--with boyfirend--current. But although Maidie thinks often about her past, it isn't until the last third of the novel that she confronts the fragments of her life and visits her family. The book is a wry and honest look at the newfangled forms of family created by geographic dislocations and divorce, by the Flannery O'Connor award winning author of "The Sources of Trouble" and "A Wild Cold State".